( 199 .) 
S AGI'N A* *. 
Linnean Class and Order. T ktra'nduia "(■ Tetragy'nia. 
Natural Order. Cauyophy / lle>e+, Linn. — Juss. Gen. PI. p. 
299 — Sm. Grain, of Bof. p. 159. — Linc'l. Syn. p. 43. ; Introd. to 
Nat. i>yst. of Bot. p. 156. — Rich. by Macgill. p. 507. — Loud. Ilort. 
Brit. p. 501. — Don’s Gen. Syst. of Gard. and Bot. v. i. p. 379. — 
Rosales; subord. Rh<eadoS/E; sect. Dianthin/e ; type, Dian- 
thacej-: ; Burn. Oull. of Bot. v. ii. pp. 61 4, 784, 805, & 607. 
Gen. Char. Calyx (fig. 1 & fig. 2, «.) inferior, of 4 egg-shaped, 
concave, equal, widely-spreading, hluntish, permanent sepals (fig. 
2, a). Corolla of 4 egg-shaped, blunt, entire, spreading petals 
(fig. 2, 6.), shorter than the calyx, and alternate with its sepals; 
sometimes wanting. Filaments (see fig. 2.) 4, thread-shaped, as- 
cending, shorter than the sepals, and opposite to them. Jlnthersof 
2 roundish lobes. Germcn (fig. 3.) superior, egg-shaped. Styles 
(see fig. 3.) 4, terminal, short, rather spreading. Stigmas blunt, 
downy: Capsules (fig. 4.) egg-shaped, of 1 cell, and 4 egg-shaped, 
separate, equal valves. Seeds (fig. 5.) numerous, minule, rough, 
attached, each on its own stalk, to a central cylindrical receptacle 
(see fig. 6) . 
Distinguished from other genera, in the same class and order, 
by the calyx of 4 sepals ; the 4-petaled corolla , shorter than the 
calyx ; and the 1-celled, 4-valved capsule. 
Three species British. 
SAGI'NA PROCU'MBENS. Procumbent Pearl-vvort§. Scab- 
wort. Chickweed Breakstone. 
Spec. Char. Plant smooth ; branches procumbent. Leaves 
strap-shaped, minutely pointed (see fig. 7). Petals about half the 
length of the calyx. 
Engl. Bot. t. 880. — Curt. FI. Lond. t. 158. — Linn. Sp. PI. p. 185.— Huds. FI. 
Angl. (2nd ed.) p. 73. — Sm. FI. Brit. v. i. p. 199. Engl. FI. v. i. p. 238. — With. 
(7th ed.) v. ii. p. 261. — Gray’s Nat. Air. v. ii. p. 651. — Lind. Syn. p. 49. — Hook. 
Brit. FI. p. 77. — Liglitf. FI. Scot. v. i. p. 125. — Sililh. FI. Oxon. p. 66. — Abbot’s 
FI. lledf. p.39. — Davies’ Welsh Hot. p. 19. — Purt. lllidl. FI. v. i. p. 103. — llelh. 
FI. Cant. (3rd ed.) p. 70. — Hook. FI. Scot. p. 59. — Giev. FI. Edin. p. 42. — FI. 
Devon, pp. 31 & 182. — Johns!. FI. Berw. v. i. p.42. — Winch’s FI. of Norlhumb. 
and Durham, p. 11. — Walk. FI. of Oxf. p. 45. — Don’s Gen. Svst. of Gard. and 
Bot. v. i. p. 419. — Ba’o. FI. Bath. p. 7. — Mack. Catal. of Plants of Irel. p 20. — 
Irish FI. p. 34. — Alsinella muscosojlore rejiens, Ray’s Syn. p.345. 
Localities. — On sandy ground, or the walks, gi ass plots, and beds of neg- 
lected gardens, as well as on shady walls and gravelly banks, everywhere. 
Perennial. — Flowers from May to September. 
Fig. 1. Calyx. — Fig.2. A Flower, showing the calyx, a; the corolla, 6 ; and the 
Stamens, Gei men, and Pistils. — Fig. 3. Germenand Pistils. — Fig. 4. Capsule. — 
Fig. 5. Seeds. — Fig. 6. Receptacle. —Fig. 7. A joint of the Stem, with 2 of the 
I, eaves. — Fig. 8. A small portion of a Plant of the full-flowered variety. — All, 
except jig. 8, more or less magnified. 
* From sagina, nutriment, it being supposed fattening to sheep; though, per- 
haps, originally tiesignaling some nutritious kind of giain. Dr. Withering. 
■f See Asperula odorata, f. 46, n. f. f See liujf'onia annua, f. 152, a. 
$ Piobably from its delicate small while petals looking like pearls. 
